On this spring Saturday, Master Gardeners of Hamilton County are in their element, surrounded by people and plants.
At the annual โMaster Your Garden Expo,โ patrons stop by vendor booths selling various plants, garden tools and decor, bluebird houses, crafts and all kinds of things to appeal to the experienced or novice home gardener. Thereโs horticulture information, too. Educating residents about gardening and lawn care is the purpose of master gardeners.
Laurie Dworak, who became a certified master gardener last year, commiserates with a woman who comments on a poster about the right and wrong ways to mulch around treesโmulch piled up like a volcano around the trunk is a no-no because it can cause damage to the bark.
โOur motto is, โWe teach you how,โโ Dworak says, telling the visitor about what master gardeners do. โIf you want a deeper dive, thereโs the Master Gardener class.โ
With the increasing number of people moving to Tennessee from other states and the surging popularity of home gardening post-pandemic, the Tennessee Extension Master Gardener program is growing. UT Extension oversees 40 Master Gardener groups in more than 50 counties. (Some groups include adjoining counties that donโt have a Master Gardener program.)
By Elizabeth A. Davis
Photos by Raffe Lazarian and Courtesy Photos
